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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28928595">Truths</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/amaterasu_bby/pseuds/amaterasu_bby'>amaterasu_bby</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 13:40:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,077</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28928595</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/amaterasu_bby/pseuds/amaterasu_bby</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Itachi finally tells Sasuke the truth. How does he take it?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Truths</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I’m so sad over Itachi and wanted a bit of a positive change to his story. So, here’s what I came up with. </p><p>Hope you enjoy &lt;3</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You mean to tell me... slaughtering our entire clan was... an order? A mission?” Sasuke asks, voice shaky and eyelashes wet with tears as he gazes up at the older brother he’d thought he hated all these years. The newfound uncertainty of it all leaves a bitter taste in his mouth. </p><p>Itachi tells him the truth and nothing short of it, showing him even, admitting his plan to make Sasuke stronger by letting him kill him. </p><p>Everything. </p><p>It shocks Sasuke to his core, his legs failing him as he falls to his knees, Itachi watching blurrily from across the room, vision impaired from the years of sharingan overuse and the tears that well in his onyx eyes. Guilt, sadness, shame, and anger boil deep within his gut, the sight of his little brother before him knocking the wind out of him. He did this to him.</p><p>Itachi wants nothing more than to drop to his knees and beg Sasuke to forgive him, to understand why he’s done all that he has, but he doesn’t. He can’t. He doesn’t deserve forgiveness, nor does he expect it. He swallows thickly, pushing back the sob that threatens to tear from his chest as Sasuke stands, cheeks red and eyes bloodshot as his gaze finds Itachi’s. </p><p>“How do I know you’re not just trying to trick me? How can I know you’re telling the truth?” He asks, voice shaky and unsure as he wipes the back of his hand across his eyes. “You can’t. That’s for you to decide. But, I’m dying, so I’d have no reason to lie.” He explains, Sasuke’s eyes widening with surprise as he gulps. He- He’s what?</p><p>“What do you mean you’re dying?” He quickly wonders aloud, Itachi smiling sadly at his baby brother as he stands. “I’m very ill, and have been for quite some time. My body is beginning to fail me, Sasuke. I won’t be around much longer, so I have no reason to lie to you. Please, believe me.” Itachi hums, voice steady and calm and totally contradicting the bone rattling fear deep within him. </p><p>Sasuke gasps softly, thoughts flying through his mind a mile a minute as he recites Itachi’s words in his head. This is Itachi, the brother he’d been training all his life to kill, the one who slaughtered the entirety of the Uchiha clan in a single night, the big brother that spared his life and left him to wonder why he’d done it all. But, this was also Itachi, the older brother that raised him, abandoned clan duties to be present for his many milestones, who was always there to comfort him and love him unconditionally. </p><p>The memories flood back all at once, Sasuke sobbing hard once, fists balled at his sides. His legs carry him forward before he can think about what he’s doing, before he can stop himself. He envelops Itachi in a bone crushing hug, face buried in his neck as he cries, finally letting out all of the anger and sadness he’d carried with him all this time. Itachi flinches, completely stunned as he gasps and debates on whether or not he should pinch himself. </p><p>This couldn’t really be happening. He’d been dreaming of the day he’d get to see Sasuke again, but never did he think Sasuke would hug him like this, let alone come near him at all. He collects himself and hugs Sasuke back with as much force as he can muster in his weakened state, finally letting the tears fall from his eyes, forming small dark spots on the dark gray material of sasuke’s shirt. </p><p>“You don’t have to forgive me, Sasuke. Just know I love you. I always have, little brother, and I always will. I’m truly sorry for the things I’ve done to you.” The words spill from Itachi’s lips like they’ve been waiting impatiently on the tip of his tongue since the day everything happened, Sasuke squeezing him a little tighter. </p><p>“I know you are. You’ve always been a kind person, Itachi. I always told myself you’d have never done this just for the sake of power. I’ve been so angry, so damn angry all these years.” Sasuke manages, voice thick with tears and muffled against the dark cloak that adorns Itachi’s frail body. </p><p>He even smells the same. Like earth, home and laundry detergent, the familiarization tearing a whole new set of sobs from Sasuke’s tightened chest. His big brother is here, and he’s the same big brother he’d always been, but severely damaged. </p><p>“I’ll kill them for what they did to you, Itachi. I swear it.” Sasuke pledges, Itachi quickly pulling away and holding him at arms length. </p><p>“No, Sasuke, that isn’t what I want at all. I don’t care about them. What I care about is you and your well-being, your safety. If you were to storm in there and do something drastic, the consequences would far outweigh the satisfaction.” Itachi explains seriously, hoping to get through Sasuke’s will of steel. </p><p>“How could you say that? After everything they’ve done to you?” Sasuke asks angrily, Itachi only smiling in return and that’s when Sasuke sees it, realizes. Itachi doesn’t have a single vengeful bone in his body, not even an inkling of one. His kind, gentle older brother is still just that. </p><p>“You said you were ill, what kind of illness is it? I know someone who could have a look at you.” Sasuke asks, unable to keep the glimmer of hope out of his shaking voice, Itachi shaking his head before coughing hard into his fist. </p><p>“I believe I’m too far gone. It’s a rare disease, something there is no known cure for yet.” He informs him, Sasuke nearly crumbling to the floor as his heart stops, Itachi only smiling as though he’s the happiest man in the world just getting to be alongside his brother again. </p><p>“Wha- I-“ Sasuke stutters out, “At least let her try” he pleads. Itachi hums softly, coughing hard again and quickly hides the blood on his hand from Sasuke’s keen eyes. “I suppose, but don’t get your hopes up” Itachi reminds him, Sasuke all but dragging him behind himself as he storms out of the old Uchiha Hideout with Itachi shuffling along behind him. </p><p>She can help. She’s going to help. She’ll understand. Sasuke couldn’t care less about forgiveness or pardoning of his crimes. All he cares about now is saving his big brother. </p><p>Saving Itachi.</p>
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